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dc.contributor.advisorLieber, Charles M
dc.contributor.authorYang, Xiao
dc.date.accessioned2021-08-04T04:00:34Z
dash.embargo.terms2024-08-31
dc.date.created2020
dc.date.issued2020-08-11
dc.date.submitted2020-11
dc.identifier.citationYang, Xiao. 2020. Bioinspired electronics for minimally invasive brain probes and regenerative medicine. Doctoral dissertation, Harvard University Graduate School of Arts and Sciences.
dc.identifier.other28086279
dc.identifier.urihttps://nrs.harvard.edu/URN-3:HUL.INSTREPOS:37368853*
dc.description.abstractAdvancing the capabilities of neurotechnology could help answer fundamental questions in neuroscience, such as memory encoding, consolidation, storage and retrieval, as well as lead to improved treatments of neurological and neurodegenerative diseases. Micro- and nanoscale flexible electronics-based neural probes represent an important type of neurotechnology with the potential for interfacing with, interrogating and modulating the nervous systems in an intimate manner. Implanted neural probes can record cellular or even subcellular electrophysiology with high spatiotemporal resolution from deep brain regions, yet structural and mechanical distinctions between existing neural probes and their neuron targets can disrupt the native tissue and physiological processes they are designed to interrogate, and lead to neuronal loss, neuroinflammatory responses and measurement instabilities. In this thesis, first I introduce a bioinspired design for neural probes—neuron-like electronics (NeuE)—where the key building blocks mimic the subcellular structural features and mechanical properties of neurons. Second, I describe a three-dimensional (3D) mapping methodology that allows us to fully characterize the 3D interfaces of electronics and surrounding tissues in situ while preserving the inherent 3D structure of neural networks and implanted NeuE. Full 3D mapping of implanted NeuE/brain interfaces highlights the structural indistinguishability and intimate interpenetration of NeuE and neurons. Time-dependent histology studies further reveal a structurally and functionally stable interface with the neuronal and glial networks shortly following implantation. Third, I report chronic electrophysiology studies by incorporating channel-indexing barcodes, which show a functionally stable interface with the brain shortly following implantation, and allow for correlating structural and functional mapping for the first time. Finally, I present the multimodal applications of NeuE to facilitate migration of endogenous neural progenitor cells, and discuss the future potential of NeuE as an electrically active platform for transplantation-free regenerative medicine to promote recovery after brain injury. Looking into the future, the neural interface of bioinspired NeuE, which is structurally and mechanically indistinguishable from neurons, gliosis-free, functionally stable and pro-regenerative, can open scientific and clinical opportunities for next-generation brain–machine interfaces and biomedical therapeutics.
dc.format.mimetypeapplication/pdf
dc.language.isoen
dash.licenseLAA
dc.subjectBioelectronics
dc.subjectBrain-machine interface
dc.subjectRegenerative medicine
dc.subjectChemistry
dc.subjectBioengineering
dc.subjectMaterials Science
dc.titleBioinspired electronics for minimally invasive brain probes and regenerative medicine
dc.typeThesis or Dissertation
dash.depositing.authorYang, Xiao
dash.embargo.until2024-08-31
dc.date.available2021-08-04T04:00:34Z
thesis.degree.date2020
thesis.degree.grantorHarvard University Graduate School of Arts and Sciences
thesis.degree.levelDoctoral
thesis.degree.namePh.D.
dc.contributor.committeeMemberCohen, Adam E
dc.contributor.committeeMemberZhuang, Xiaowei
dc.contributor.committeeMemberPark, Hongkun
dc.type.materialtext
thesis.degree.departmentChemistry and Chemical Biology
dc.identifier.orcid0000-0003-1504-4949
dash.author.emailxyang0603@gmail.com


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